The Wandering Rider
by Noctornal Hunter
Summary: Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE INHERITANCE CYCLE, OR ANYTHING PERTAINING TO IT. However, I did invent most of the "new characters." They are original, but THEY ARE NOT CANON. IN FACT, MOST OF THIS IS SPECULATIVE CANON. SPOILERS AHEAD. 5 years later...
1. Ra'what?

The Wandering Rider

An Inheritance Fan Fiction

By: Trenton Lee R. (Noctornal Hunter)

Kane sighed, tipping a cup of dwarvish mead so that the last of the contents dripped down his lips, tongue, and then throat. It had been a long day, flying straight from Vroengard to the village where one of the new riders- an Urgal, he assumed- was stationed. The dragon's name was a simple one; Bulk. It wasn't graceful, but it was supposed to be large and strong for its age, which was what hinted towards its rider's race. Kane was supposed to leave him or her with the location of the new base of the riders, where Eragon was training the new wave.

_An Urgalgra. Those beasts are so powerful on their own…With dragons, they could out do the oldest of elves!_

_Tell me about it…I feel rather weak in comparison to most of the other riders at this point. Only with Svinrr could we be as fast as the elven or Kull riders...And even then, they could out do us if they've earned or found an Eldunari themselves._

_That they could, Kane, but that is why we hunt and grow stronger each day._

They continued flying for an hour or so more, Cress' silvery scales reflecting and turning the space around them into a magical looking scene. Silvery light bathed the night sky and shadowy ground, the light of the moon reflecting off of Cress' scales. It was then, in the cool air, that three things happened. First, a massive roar sounded through the Spine, causing the many creatures below to scream in terror and scurry into the forests. Second, Cress tilted to the left, narrowly avoiding a wave of flames. Then, finally, a large purple dragon came into view, flying in the opposite direction Cress was going.

Another wave of purple flames bathed the land, and this time Kane was forced to quickly fumble with a set of words that caused the flames to move harmlessly around them. When the sickly purple fire dimmed, and Kane's vision cleared, the Rider was able to make out a cloaked figure on the back of the purple beast. That is, before the mental drill ensued. It lasted only for a few seconds, but in the process, Kane felt a dark presence that was, and yet wasn't. Evil danced along the edges of the thing's being, and something far worse at its core. Kane recoiled, then shoved back with all his force, pushing the strange mind away from him. Taking the chance to strike, Cress tilted himself towards the purple beast, loosed an echoing roar, then bit into the thing's neck, twisting and pulling until the other dragon shoved him back. And then they began to circle, flying perfectly symmetrical around and above the Spine.

A moment passed, and then, "Name yourself, so that I may know who has deigned to strike at myself and Cress!"

The figure and dragon were silent, circling Kane and Cress even as they circled the strangers. The purple dragon flicked its tongue out, as if it was considering attacking, then angled towards the ground. Cress hesitated, then followed as Svinrr approved. As they landed, Kane unbuckled the straps on his feet and slid down off of Cress' back, drawing Kveykva. The sword wasn't an original of Rhunon's- he'd learned the enchantments she had used from Eragon, and then got help crafting it from the Dwarf, Rofvel. When the sword was complete, Rofvel had insisted on a Dwarvish name. After some time practicing with it, Kane decided to call it Sigtknurl; Flicker Stone. It had weight, yet moved quickly and was easy to carry.

At the same time, the rider of the purple dragon drifted from its back, a sword of the same sickly colored purple appearing from his sleeve and then in his hand. Kane wet his lips, pushing every useful spell he knew to the forefront of his mind before taking a tentative step forward… "Reisa," stated the purple rider, and Kane felt himself left from the ground, cursing all the while.

"Vanta vindr," Kane retorted. Lack air. It was a simple spell, but with luck, it would choke the attacker…Or at least its dragon. He felt himself lurch forward, then drop to the ground even as the purple rider fell to a knee. He uttered 'Togira,' and watched as the purple rider's knee disjointed, causing him to fall to his hands. Cress appeared under Kane, allowing him to land with a painful thud in the saddle. He took a moment to rest, then slid down to the ground once more, walking towards the purple rider. Cress kept close behind him, his eyes locked on the purple dragon.

"Now I ask again…Who are you, and why have you attacked me?"

As the rider's lungs returned to full use, he took a deep breath and said, "I am…of little importance…but my massster will lay waste to this new…"Order." Thisss dragon…he wasss the Urgalsss'…"

"Was?"

"Perhapss…He sstill can be. But hisss mind iss in pain…"

Kane thought on this for a moment, and considered consulting Svinrr. He decided against it, and instead swung Sigtknurl at the left shoulder of the purple rider, watching as the silver blade pierced what he assumed was armor, then flesh, then more armor, coming out of the bottom of the rider's arm. Sigtknurl then dug into the rocky soil below, dripping what Kane would have thought was blood…Until it burned through the dirt and even began to drain his wards. He cast a quick spell to be rid of the stuff, then narrowed his brows.

"What _are _you?"

"Ah…I wass once a Ra'zac…But I ssstumbled upon a very bad place…My blood became as acid, and I became capable of usssing magicsss…but I became vulnerable to them as well, and lossst much of my ssstrength…My brothersss may share thisss fate…"

"Sso…erm…So…You've been altered?"

"Yess….And now, sso shall thisss dragon!"

The ex-Ra'zac attempted to leap at the purple dragon and bite into it, but Kane lopped its head off with Sigtknurl before it got even a few inches from its previous place. He again murmured a word to be rid of the blood, then said, "Brisingr," causing the body to burn away. As the silvery flames died away, the purple sword remained, which he assumed the ex-Ra'zac had stolen from one of the stocks Ilirea. If that were the case, then Kane had to get a message to Nasuada immediately…

_Kane! Move!_

_Wha-,_ Kane began, but was cut off as a mass of purple flames bathed the ground around him. He rolled backwards, narrowly avoiding the main body of fire, but still receiving a minor burn on his left forearm. He popped back to his feet a second later, jumping into the air as the purple dragon swept the ground with its tail. He landed not a moment after the tail passed, then turned and sprinted towards Cress, climbing up into the saddle and latching himself into place as quickly as possible. As he finished, another wave of flames bathed the place Cress had previously been standing, and the silvery dragon had moved to the skies. The purple one seemed to consider following, but instead remained where it was, as if distracted. It was only then that Kane realized he felt another presence…

_Ghvitor…Ghvitor…Ghvitor! Where am I!_

Kane realized the dragon was speaking to all of them without meaning to, but the other speaker was completely blocked off.

_I…I'm sorry…I was bested by a mere human!_

Kane thought that the dragon might have been talking about him, but he realized that he hadn't even touched the beast, which met it thought the ex-Ra'zac was a human.

"Ah…it is okay, Tuskgver…All is forgiven this time…And who would these two be?"

Kane took the opportunity to speak then, saying, "My name is Kane Gregorsson, the Wandering Rider. As you may know, I have come to give Tuskgver and his rider directions to the island on which Eragon will train them. I would assume you are that rider?"

The Urgal nodded, showing the silver scar on his palm. Kane showed his in response, and then the tension seemed to fade. Cress drifted back to the ground, but Kane remained in place, gripping Sigtknurl as tightly as ever. It wasn't until Svinrr spoke that he sheathed the Dwarf-made rider's blade and dropped to the ground.

_This Urgal means us no harm, Kane. Give him the directions and we may be on our way to Iliera._

And so he did, giving Ghvitor and Tuskgver mental pictures of the island, and then the safest route to it. When that was complete, the two duos said their farewells. Cress took to the skies, while Ghvitor and Tuskgver walked side by side back to whatever village it was they came from. It was yet another hour before Cress landed just outside the Spine, but still in the forests surrounding it. While he hunted, Kane cast wards around their camp to ward off any bandits or hungry bears, then set up a fire. Thirty or so minutes later, Cress returned with crimson liquid stained on his teeth, and two bucks in his left forefoot. He dropped them before Kane, who proceeded to skin, clean, cut up, and cook them with some vegetables and what water he had left. After eating, the two fell to sleep, enjoying rest for the first time in a number of days.


	2. Happy Hunting

The wandering rider

Chapter two

Happy hunting

With the previous day's events fresh in their minds, Kane and Cress treaded lightly in the places they visited, wary of whatever had mutated the Ra'zac and given it the power to control Tuskgver. If it was some strange force of magic, Kane believed that, perhaps, Eragon could tell them of its origins at a later date, though he doubted the chance would come anytime soon. And so, he made a mental note to speak to Jeod about it when he next saw the writer and trader.

Since early that morning he and Cress had been hunting for provisions, as to avoid starving on the trip back to Iliera. Flying out to Narda had been strenuous enough, as the reason for going was to capture a rouge magician who had stolen an Eldunari. That had been easy enough, with Svinrr to help Kane subdue the opposing Eldunari's mind. Then all he had to do was capture the man and turn him into the authorities. It was a task that Nasuada could have easily given to Roran Stronghammer or another member of the Varden, but she had felt it necessary to send a rider.

And so he'd gone. The task, at least, had taken his mind off of his and Cress' weakness compared to the Elven and Kull riders.

A flicker of movement caught his attention, and he turned himself towards whatever it was. His eyes scanned the bushes and trees, and then he expanded his mind towards where he'd seen the movement. A moment later, he felt a feral presence. It took him another few seconds to figure out it was a mountain lion, at which point he stabbed Sigtknurl into the ground and pointed his gedwey ignasia hand towards the creature. He heard a growl and a shuffle of movement, which caused him to push the words he wanted to use to the forefront of his mind, then to his tongue.

"Bjart garzla!"

The cat roared loudly, though not louder than Cress, and then stumbled out of the bushes, two bright orbs of light hovering over its eyes. Taking his chance, Kane rushed forward, stabbing it through the chest. As he did, he uttered a blessing, then drained its dying energy and placed it inside the translucent gem that rested in the hilt of Sigtknurl. As energy poured back into it, the gem took on a green glow, using the color that the mountain cat's energy had been. As it passed into the void, he pulled the Dwarven-made blade back out of its body, whipping the blood off of its silver blade with his same-colored cloak. Once he was satisfied, he returned the sword to its sheath, then expanded his mind outwards once more.

When it brushed against the mind of another person, he was rather surprised…And when he realized who that person was, his surprise grew. It was none other than Balnemir, the elf he had met on the island of the riders. At the time, Balnemir's dragon was only a bit bigger than Cress, but if Cress' current size was anything to judge, then Thelduin was at least the size of two houses, plus a horse. The thought scared Kane for a moment, before he realized that Balnemir hadn't obtained an Eldunari, and he doubted that the Elven Rider had since.

_Balnemir!, _Kane said through his mind, _it is I, Kane Gregorsson…How has fate treated you, old friend?_

Balnemir recoiled at first, and Kane could feel an attack brewing from the Elf and his dragon, Thelduin. But after Kane named himself, the older rider relaxed a bit, saying, _Well in its own. What is it that has brought you to the Spine, Gregorsson? And do not say the Eldunari in Narda…You would have passed by her long before now had that been all._

That was true, of course. Kane and Cress had chosen to fly out to Vroengard after Narda. The reason was a simple one; time. They'd apprehended the thief easily, and had another few days left, so they'd tasked themselves with flying to Vroengard and combating whatever they may have found there. That had been easy enough; Cress flew, Svinrr gave his energy to help, and Kane stored what energy he could within Sigtknurl's gem. That had, sadly, been used up on the trip back so that Svinrr could rest. Hence, the mountain cat…

_Ah…We just explored some of the coast. I visited with my parents in Narda…They said that they plan to move to New Carvahall soon, as not to be so close to the place where the riders go and come from._

_An ample excuse…Very well, then, Gregorsson. Where are you? _

Kane projected a picture of the game trail he stood on, and a few moments later, Balnemir appeared through the foliage, a bow strung at his side with an arrow strung through. The arrow head was shaped as a leaf, and was stained with blood. Kane raised an eyebrow in question, but Balnemir shook his head then nodded towards the end of the trail. "Nasuada sent us to break up a group of rebels before they gained too much power…Turns out their all magicians from the old Empire."

"You killed them all?"

"In the name of Glaeder, of _course _I didn't…They have too much power, and I not enough. The wards they've placed are similar to some of the ones Galbatorix had; Thelduin can barely get near them before their wards push him back, and there are too many minds and voices to close in on one…Normally, it would be as simple as throwing a pebble, but they seem to be stronger than any human magician…"

Kane relayed that to Cress, even though he had no reason to, as the silvery dragon was already speaking to Thelduin, the silver-blue "wolf" dragon. Many laid claim that Thelduin was met to hatch for Blodhgarm, who had been the one who trained Balnemir, but Eragon and the other elves argued otherwise. Blodhgarm's most notable line had been, 'But if I were a rider, then I would no longer see fit to be a wolf. And if that were so, then this similarity between myself and Thelduin would cease to exist.' Kane had to applaud him on his strange logic.

After consulting with Svinrr and Cress for a time, he pulled the hood to his silver cloak up, then reached behind him and grasped his shield, pulling that to his forefront and tying it to his left arm. He then unsheathed Sigtknurl, pointing the silver blade towards the ground, and started moving forwards. At first, he thought Balnemir had chosen to stay behind, but then he felt the Elf's conscious against his. It took a few seconds before he let Balnemir in, and even then, he did his best to keep the connection minimal.

Cress grumbled, a sound building up from deep in his throat and rising to his tongue, where it became a growl. Thelduin-Blodhgarm-colored-dragon mimicked him, digging his iridescent blue claws into the dirt. The two sensed a group of short-hairy-magic-users only a few miles further into the forest, and Thelduin had explained that they were some evil people left over from the Egg-breaker's-empire. Just the thought of that name caused Cress to remember his hundred year wait for the day Eragon entered the secret sanctuary on Vroengard and gathered them all, whisking them away to the excitement of the world above. Thelduin had hatched first, if only by a few months, and had been a larger egg than Cress. For that reason, he was a half-a-house taller than Cress, though Cress liked to believe he had stronger flames than his brother, and was also faster.

_Balnemir-bond-of-trust-Elf-Friend is going with Kane-round-ears-bad-smell to confront the evil-eggbreaker's leftover magic users. We must give aid._

_Not yet, Thelduin. Wait until the right moment, and then we strike. _Svinrr spoke this time, from his place in Kane's magic-invisible-bag. Eragon had taught all the riders that trick, and even some of the dragons, but Cress didn't like the fact it had more potential to cut then his own teeth or claws.

_Why wait, Svinrr-elda? We could strike now, bathe their wards in flames, and then Kane-brother-for-life could slay them all with ease…With Balnemir's help, I mean._

_Have you learned nothing, Cress-dragon-colored-as-the-moon? If you are to slay a beast larger than yourself, it must be at the moment of surprise. _

Next, Thelduin interrupted, saying, _Svinrr is correct, I despise saying. We wait until they begin fighting._

And so they did. The dragons moved as little as possible, keeping their heads low as not to arouse suspicion. Cress pawed at the ground at times, flicking his tongue out and sniffing when he thought he smelt something. Likewise, Thelduin did the same, but less frequently. The reason why, or, at least, Svinrr sometimes said, was, "_Thelduin was raised by an Elf…His manners, attitude, and most other aspects, then, are going to be less curios and rash than that of a human. Cress, you have been raised by a human, and so you are more human. The dragon named Aruna who was raised by Kiirp the Dwarf is bound to be smaller but stronger, and more prone to mountains and solitude…And Tuskgver will always be more warlike than the others. It's a simple logic, really…"_

Cress decided to try and explain that to Thelduin, but the wolf-like dragon cut him off, saying, '_I already discovered that in my ponderings, youngling brother, now, focus!' _At that, Cress returned to his own thoughts and ponderings, wondering whether the smelly magicians had noticed Kane-yawe and Balnemir yet. But, he supposed, they would know if that had happened.

And so they waited.

And waited.

And an hour passed.

And another…

And then, finally, like an ocean wave rising high above the shores, a sense of danger struck Cress and Thelduin. The dragons turned their heads slightly, made eye contact, then unfolded their wings and took a running start. With three steps for Cress and only one bound for Thelduin, the brother dragons leaped into the air and glided off towards the battle scene.


	3. The Belt Returns

The wandering rider

Chapter three

The Belt Returns

Balnemir, Kane, and Svinrr had discussed how they planned on getting through the barriers that the Rebel Magicians had put up, and believed they had come up with a spell that would work around the wards. According to Balnemir, they had covered everything from swords to pebbles, and most magic had failed to take affect…However, if Svinrr was right, then their combined power might just stand a chance.

"You're certain this will work, Svinrr-elda?"

_As certain as you are an Elf, Balnemir._

"Very well, then. You have the words prepared, Kane?"

"I do."

"Then let us begin."

Kane and Balnemir crouched in the bushes surrounding the rebel encampment, either one keeping quiet as they would when hunting a deer- or, in Balnemir's case, killing an Urgal hundreds of years prior. Once they began the first word of the enchantment, Svinrr began to pour his strength into Balnemir and Kane, sustaining them and increasing the power of the spell. Balnemir's voice grew even more melodious than it had previously been as he sang, weaving his words into reality. Kane, on the other hand, spoke. It was a strange combination, like a background storyteller speaking in rhythm with a bard. However, the dual enchantment seemed all the more powerful for the combination, and eventually the ripple of magic present around the encampment wavered. A wave of glitter washed over the ripple, causing it to collapse in on its self.

And then Thelduin struck from the west. Silver-blue flames exploded from the trees, bathing the closest tents in deadly fire. Screams and shouts of terror and rage echoed over through the clearing, and the clatter of armor and swords scraping against each other formed from the safe side of the camp. A few moments passed, and then the first few magicians emerged from their tents, mouths moving quickly as they formulated counter spells. However, Balnemir was just a little faster, weaving three spells that killed six of the magicians on the spot- or at least paralyzed them.

And then from the east a silver wave of flames erupted, burning away the armor and skin of the line of magicians forming on that side of the camp. When the torrent of fire died away, Thelduin and Cress pounced, soaring from opposite ends and crashing into the encampment. More screams ensued, but lasted for a short time. After a few minutes, both dragons bounded out of the encampment, and Balnemir and Kane sprinted in. For all Kane tried, though, Balnemir was faster, and thus got into the camp and vanished into the tents, leaving him alone.

He swung Sigtknurl at the first magician he saw, the iridescent silver gleaming in the early morning sun. The blade dug clean through to the last rib on the opposite side of where it first entered the body, and then Kane had to yank it back out and shove the body aside. Blood pooled, but he was already gone, running at a steady pace past the first tents and towards the core, where whatever item that had been giving the magicians such power or knowledge to create the powerful barriers they had.

At first, it would have seemed that very few of the magicians were left, but as Kane got deeper into the slightly burnt encampment, the numbers seemed to double. He hacked and slashed, killing the magicians who hadn't noticed him and casting simple spells like Brisingr and Kveykva. He left behind just as many as he killed, and had to change directions and cut through alleys between tents because of it. He suspected Balnemir was having a much easier time than him, judging from the lack of noise from elsewhere in the camp.

A few dozen yards above, Cress and Thelduin circled, breathing fire on any magicians stupid enough to step into range. On occasion, one would swoop down and smash a tent where soldiers were building up, or eat the steed of some fool trying to mount, but otherwise stayed in the air. Svinrr gave advice at random, such as "_duck!," _which proves useful in the event of arrows that broke through his wards. As minutes passed, Kane found that the thrum of energy around him was growing stronger, and the weak parts seemed to be healing themselves up at rapid paces. Curios as his nature enforced him to be, Kane fished for the source of the power, only to be bombarded by more than thirty minds. He cried in anguish, tripping over the terrain and falling to his hands and knees. As he fought off the minds, the other magicians caught up to him, dozens of words from the ancient language ringing through the air. He cursed, his life to date flashing before his eyes…

_**By order of the law of the land, every magician here is under arrest for not only attacking members of the Helgr Kvistr**_, _**and, I might add, Riders trained by Eragon himself. Cease resisting or you will be not only captured, but stripped of your magical gifts.**_

The voice rang loud and clear over the encampment, causing everyone, Thelduin and Cress included, to stop in their tracks…or, in the dragons' case, flap their wings quickly to hover. It took the better half of a minute, but eventually Kane spotted a speck in the sky. It was blue, and shone like sapphires, and was almost a perfect replica of her…Except for one problem. The person sitting on her back was neither Eragon nor Arya, but instead a cloaked elf. If he had to guess, Kane assumed that it was a mirage made by some magician…But which one?

And it was then that he realized that the mirage had said 'Helgr Kvistr,' the Sacred Branch. That was the name of the group of magic users that Nasuada had established to keep peace throughout Alagaesia, which met that one or more of the Helgr Kvistr had heard them and come to their aid, or…He squinted a bit, trying to see through the mirage. It took him another thirty or so seconds before he recognized a green scale where Saphira's slightly chipped nose scale should have been.

_Firnen, _Cress cried mentally. The thought was directed directly at the green dragon, but, Kane realized, Cress had been so excited to see his original teacher that he'd forgot to keep their connection minimal. In that mistake, three minds pierced Cress' and his own, burrowing through their shields and causing Cress to roar while Kane bellowed in pain. He pounded his fist against the dirt, tears of pain and rage forming behind his eyelids.

"Jierda hjarta! Deyja! Oro," came another voice. Balnemir appeared at his side, and as he completed his list of words, three magicians screamed as their hearts busted. Two consciousnesses vanished from the killing word, and a dozen arrows that had been fired turned and buried themselves in the throats of their corresponding archers. In the chaos, Kane recovered in time to roll out of the way of Firnen's wrath. The green dragon who was disguised as Saphira bathed the group of magicians in flames, instantly killing all but one of them.

As the disguised Firnen took back to the skies, Cress and Thelduin smashed into tents on opposite sides of the walking path, roaring at the remaining magician. He seemed completely unaffected though, standing in place with a single hand raised. There was a distortion in the air around him, which was created by the immense magic pouring out of him. He was grinning, and seemed to be uttering phrases through his teeth. At the same time, Balnemir was chanting a phrase to counteract whatever the other magician was saying, and Firnen circled above. Whoever was riding him was shouting words as well, which seemed to slow the enemy magician by just a bit.

_Kane, _Thelduin called. He quickly explained what the enemy magician was trying to do, then withdrew so that he could return to holding him off. Kane glanced at Balnemir, who gestured towards Sigtknurl and then to the enemy magician. Kane nodded, then drew his blade and picked up a shield dropped by one of the magicians. He focused on the shield specifically, uttering a few quick words to hold it together, then sprinted towards the enemy magician.

As he neared, the magician ceased what he was saying and shouted, "Brisingr!," forcing Kane to roll to the right as the bodies before and behind him erupted in flames. He bounced back to his feet, shouting "Blodh!" and causing the red stains in the ground to lift up and smack into the magician's face. Most of it ended up in his mouth, and enough got into his eyes to blind him. Kane felt the drain almost immediately, and drew on some of the spare energy within the translucent gem in Sigtknurl's hilt to sustain him. With an effort, he ran at the enemy magician, swinging Sigtknurl at his neck in an attempt to behead him. However, the blade stopped an inch or so away, frozen in place by the magician's wards.

Kane cursed, then yanked Sigtknurl away, stabbing at the man's throat to see if he could have any more luck in that way. However, Sigtknurl bounced off to the side, doing nothing to harm the enemy magician. By now, he had managed to spit out most of the blood and wipe his eyes, and was chanting once again. Kane growled as Cress would, and again swung at the man. This time, however, Sigtknurl was deflected by a torrent of air crafted and cast by the enemy.

By now, Kane was growing weary and angry. He was panting, sweat dripping into his eyes and blinding him, and his sword arm ached. Again he drew on the energy inside Sigtknurl, then swung, and again watched as the dwarf-made sword bounced harmlessly away from the man. With a final effort, Kane murmured, "Atra ono deyja…," and swung Sigtknurl a final time. This time, the magician seemed wary, and raised his shield. Kane expected to watch Sigtknurl bounced away once more, but the blade seemed to take over, gliding underneath the shield, then upwards. Kane's eyes widened, and then the sword buried itself in the man's lower calf, cutting clean through the bone and skin and muscle.

Time seemed to stand still, the enemy magician balancing on one leg while Kane stared at the place Sigtknurl had stopped and been deflected- just a few inches away from the other leg. Then all at once the magician became unbalanced and fell, landing with a scream on a broken sword that seemed to have just appeared. The silver tip of the bent and battered blade appeared through his chest, blood soaking the area around it. After a moment of consideration, Kane dared to drain the man of his dying energy, using it to replace the energy he'd used on the last spell. And then the man passed into the void, just as the mountain cat had.

After some time, Firnen landed, and the elf riding him slid down and removed her hood. It wasn't Arya, but it was one of her guards, Vivinti. She greeted Kane and Balnemir in the Elven way, and they responded properly. When formalities were done with, the three broke away to salvage what they could from the encampment. In the center, Balnemir found three gems that held an immense amount of energy within them, and gave on to Kane and Viviniti. With them, or so Balnemir said, they would have enough power to take on a group of magicians on their own. And, in Viviniti's words, "With these…Even a child could." Kane stuffed his into a pouch by his waist, making a mental note to place it in his shield at a later date.

Vivinti returned to the place where Firnen, Cress, and Thelduin still were with an armful of scrolls. They placed those in Firnen's saddle bags, saying that they would go through them for information once they reached Iliera. And, finally, Kane returned with a simple object; a leather belt. After an inspection, Balnemir seemed awestruck, and Viviniti seemed worried. When Kane finally inquired, Balnemir said, "Gregorsson…where did you get this?"

"Off the magician I killed. Why?"

"Because," Viviniti said, her voice grave, "this is the belt of Beloth the Wise."


	4. Sigtknurl's History

CHAPTER four

Formal Introductions

"So, Kane…I do not believe we have been formally introduced, and Arya failed to mention you being in this area. So I ask you; how did you become a rider? What is the story of your blade? It's obviously not elven made…It is not long enough for that, but it is the size close to the size of the average human's sword, which would lead me to believe it is not of Dwarven production…And it is to sturdy and colorful to be a human's sword. And you, Balnemir. You did not have a sword when we last met."

"How did you know I had a sword," Balnemir inquired, "when I did not fight with one?"

Viviniti smirked, and then said, "Mistress Arya has taught her personal guard many things, Balnemir. We have learned to locate weaponry where it cannot be seen; for example, Kane, you are hiding a dagger in the same package that the gem is in. Now, back to your story, Kane…."

"Gregorsson. My full name is Kane Gregorsson…Kane Shur'tugal to a few, but I prefer my true name. And as for Sigtknurl…This blade is the only blade ever crafted by Rofvel, one of the only remaining students of Futhark, the legendary Dwarven Elf. Like Rhunon, he's been crafting powerful swords and other weapons for years. In fact, I'm kind of surprised Eragon hadn't heard of him; he crafted three of the Rider's Swords, but Rhunon took credit for them, and he really didn't care.

Anyways…About halfway through our training, we were tasked with finding a proper sword, which required every rider who hadn't already become a full Shur'tugal to fly back to Alagaesia and then to Iliera. There, we had to partake in an annual between the races…But don't think we did much of the actual fighting. We actually just acted as mascots for the most of the time, until the final tournament. The Kull were in the lead, and, due to Roran's leadership, the humans were in third place. The elves held second, and the dwarves had fourth. The final leg of the tournament was a fight between the riders; I, the rider representing the humans, faced off with the Dwarf rider, while Balnemir here faced off against a Kull rider. It was an amazing spectacle, and in the end the Kulls emerged victorious. Humans and Dwarves managed to tie for last, though, and the elves held second place…

At the end of the annual games, each rider was allowed to choose one of the rider swords leftover from Galbatorix's stock, so long as it was close or equal to the color of their dragon. For some reason, though, none of them fit or me, and I was the only one to return to the island with the dulled sword I'd been training with for the past few months. Eragon and Saphira didn't like that, so they gave me and Cress three days to rest, then sent us to Ellesmera to seek out Rhunon.

When we got there, Rhunon refused to go through the same process as she did with Eragon, but did deign to give us a piece of brightsteel. Of course, the amount she gave us was hard to decide…First she had to spar with me, then she spent a fortnight studying the dulled sword I'd been using since my training under Arya. When she finished, she gave us just enough to make a sword of similar height, then directed us to Rofvel. We flew by day and rested by night, and eventually made it to the foothills of the Beor Mountains. There we continued only a short distance into the range, and then we had to explore the jungle-like forests within.

It took us nearly a month to find Rofvel's home, end even longer to convince him to make us our sword. He spent just as much time as Rhunon did studying that old sword and then double that exploring my fighting style. When he was finally satisfied that he had a good idea, he made us leave…With reluctance, we did, and flew out to Farthen Dur to introduce ourselves to Eragon's foster brother, Orik. He sheltered us for the next two weeks, in which we did little more than rest. Occasionally, a dwarf would offer to spar me, and so we did. They proved powerful despite their height, which certainly surprised me at first, and amused Cress." Kane paused then, taking a sip of watered wine to wet his throat. While he rested, Cress picked up.

_Yes…our time in Farthen Dur was good. It was a well deserved break from the intensive training Eragon was putting us through, even if we grew a bit fat in that time. The Dwarves were good to us, but they were also hesitant. Many of them were concerned that there was another human rider, but in time they grew to enjoy our presence, as we did there. I even met a dragon by the name of Gnurkla, the bonded dragon to a kindly old dwarf woman…I wonder if our egg has hatched yet…_

As Cress fell to his musings, Kane recovered from his dried throat. He'd forgotten that Cress had mated during their time in Farthen Dur, and grinned at the aspect of the silvery beast he sat on having a son or daughter with Gnurkla, who had been more of a grandmother-esque creature than a beast. When he realized that Balnemir and Viviniti were still waiting, he continued with their story.

"So anyway…Close to the end of our second week there, a young Dwarf by the name of Rucktlur delivered a message from Rofvel, telling us to return to his forge in the forests of the Beors. We said our farewells and departed…and I suppose, now that I know Cress' son or daughter might be roaming the land, we'll have to return soon…Anyway. When we arrived, Rofvel had just finished the sheath, and had even made us a set of armor and a shield to go with the sword. He asked us for a name, but before we could answer, demanded it be of Dwarven origins.

"That obligation kept us at his home for another three days, in which I had the chance to practice with my new sword while Cress hunted the massive game that resided in the forests and mountains. It wasn't until the morning of our departure that I consulted Rofvel with the name I'd thought of…The sword was light, and thus moved quickly, but at the same time it had weight to it, and seemed to be made of stone rather than steel. And so, with his agreement, I dubbed the sword Sigtknurl; flicker stone. With magic, the name was added to the sheath and blade, and it has thus been named. We then returned to the training island, and our training was resumed. And that is the story of how Sigtknurl came to be."

Viviniti nodded, then said, "That does not answer the question of how your bond with Cress came to be. Would you mind explaining?"

Kane shook his head, saying, "my throat is dry and the wind is quick. Tomorrow evening, perhaps, I will share…but not now. Balnemir…Will you be telling us of your origins?"

"My history is my history, Gregorsson…My sword, however, was explained by Kane. Shortly after the annual tournament, I found a silver-blue blade…Its name was once Fyrn Eld Moi, the War Changer, and as of today it still is. I intend to rename it soon, however, as its current name is unbefitting."

Again Viviniti nodded. "And I suppose, then, you are curious as to why I am riding upon Firnen, then?"

_Indeed so, Viviniti-pointy-ears, _Cress responded. And so Viviniti said; "I am here, on Firnen, for a simple reason. Mistress Arya is rather busy…She is still helping the elves recover from the loss of Queen Islanzadi, and she still is herself. She heard that a band of magicians was attacking near the Spine, and intended to fly out and strip them of their powers herself…However, circumstances would not allow it, and she believed that you had it handled, Balnemir…However, we also needed you back in Ellesmera to help settle the elves, and so she deigned to send me out to find you. The fact that the magicians were still fighting against you when I arrived was coincidence. Thankfully, though, mine and Firnen's arrival was well timed. And so here we are…And you, Kane, with the Belt of Beloth the Wise…Which reminds me. We must show that to Helgr Kvistr to make sure it has not been cursed…And then it should be returned to Eragon. Rightfully, it is his."

Kane frowned. He'd grown fond of the idea of having twelve gems with power leftover from not only the battle of Dras-Leona, but also what was left from the magicians they'd just dispatched. It met that he had a backup, if the power still within Sigtknurl failed him. But, by all rights, the belt was Eragon's, as it was handed down to him by Oromis. In the mean time, though, the belt was looped around his waist, the twelve gems within hidden by the leather around them.

The three flew for another few hours before landing in the hills surrounding Iliera. They decided they would rest there, then enter the human's Capital the following morning. Normally, Kane would have argued that it was better to just get their interviews with Nasuada over with, but he was tired from the battle, as were the others. And so they set up camp, Balnemir casting the simple spell "Brisingr" to fashion a fire, and Kane using a counter spell to contain it. Viviniti simply fell to sleep, while Balnemir and Kane dared to spar each other by magically dulling their swords to avoid any permanent harm. When they finished, the two fell to sleep under the wing of their respective dragons.


End file.
